The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-07
Opinion Of Secretary Manning on the
Merits of0ur Quarrel with Canada.
He Favors Keeping the Idea Of Annexation in
View, and Urges that the President Be EN-
powered to Proclaim Non-Intercourse.
Ex-senator A. G. Thurman for Presi-
dent of the Interstate Commission.
Other Men Who Are Prominently Mentioned
asPossible MEMBERSHIP Disability PEN
sion Bill and the Amount 1t Calls For.


sion Bill and the Amount 1t Calls For.
NON-INTERCoURsE WITH CANADA.
Secretary Manning Fav0rs the House Foreign
Affairs Committee with His Views.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6.-Secretary Manning,
this evening, made public his reply to an in
ouiry by the House foreign affairs committee for
an expression of opinion on the pending legis-
lation contemplating retaliation upon and non
intercourse with Canada Secretary Manning
says American fishing rights are defined by the
treaties of 1888 and 1918, and our fishermen have
right to fish on portion of the coasts of the
British colonies of North America as absolute
and perfect as is their right to fish on the high
seas, while on other portions of those costs we
have renounced the liberty which we enjoyed till
1918, to catch, dry or cure fish. 1t is assumed
that the United States are content with their
existing rights of fishing on Canadian coasts if
those treaties are faithfully kept. 1t is also
sumed that this government will not protect
American fishermen from knowingly fishing on
forbidden Canadian coasts, but will if necessary,
punish a vessel thus fishing. In respect to COM
mercial privileges for our fishing vessels in
Canadian ports, the situation is very different.
| The treaty of 1878 secured to our fishermen ad-
mission to Canadian bays or harbors for pur
| poses Of shelter or repairs, and for wood and
water, but for no other purpose whatever.
These, the Secretary says, should not be called
commercial rights; they are rights of humanity
and decency, to refuse which is an act of barbar-
ism fit only for savages. Our complaint is not
| hat fha byC No cto
utes and officials is restriction of our CONNER
| cial privileges, but violation of our fishing
rights, secured by treaty.
| After minute review Of our commercial
| privileges, he concludes that it is not in regard
to any of these that the issue arises The Sec
retary believes that Great Britain may. if be-
lieving it to her interest, withdraw from the
| agreement of 1880, which was an international
| bargain and contract solemnized and attested.
| The royal assent given by the Queen on Novem-
| Der 26, 1886. to the Canadian act entitled IAN
act to further amend the act respecting fisheries
| by foreign vessels" contemplates the seizure
and forfeiture of American vessels Under cff.
| cumstances which we claim to be in violation of
the treaty Of 1918, and this act is a repeal and
annulment by England of the arrangement of
1880, and to that repeal we are entitled 10 re-
| spond by a similar repeal of our own law and by
| refusal hereafter, and while debate or negoti-
alton goes on, to confer hospitality, or any priv
| ileges whatever in our ports Canadian YES
| sells or boats of any sort violation of comfy
may be looked upon as an unfriendly act, but
not cause for just war. England may Judge
of the nature and extent Of the comfy and cour-
tesy she will show to US. In this case we do not
| rata liafa hyf siynn 1ipu
ity and hospitality
The Secretary adds that the only question is
4 as to the character of the response which would
be best in keeping with the interests and dignity
of the United States. He suggests several de-
fects in the bill which recently passed the Sen
ate, and, in conclusion, says:
'It is much to be regretted that medieval
tariff laws like that cruel legacy of war which
| still encumbers the statute books of the United
States a medieval non-intercourse policy like
that of the Dominion of Canada, approved by
the Queen in council the threshold of her
Majesty's jubilee year. should be the divided dis
grace of our common civilization. Both are OBJ
stacles to that charging freer intercourse
among the heirs by kindred blood of one great
heritage of social order, language, laws and civil
liberty which is leading here and promoting
everywhere, from century to century, the in
creasing progress Of the human race. The ven
Grated founders OF this Republic contributed to
|
impetus by withholding from the federal govern
ment authority to fetter the foreign commerce
of the people with any export tax and by enact.
ing an absolute free trade forever among
the inhabitants Of all its States. The
new world which swept into their ken
was world of American freemen. whose
laws should bnt establish and guard their indl
vidual liberty. Had the most northern colonies,
anticipating then the inevitable hour, along
with US, cut off and released their thenceforth
separate and insular fortunes to the parent
State the whole continent of North America,
from sea to sea and from its northern to its
southern CULTS, would now be joined in one in
dissoluble uniontof indestructible States and the
political line of the forty ninth parallel of ,at
tude, with the geographical boundary of the
five great lakes and their river, instead of being
marked by suspicious revenue officers and hos
tile custom houses, would be invisible like tbs
one-hundredth meridian, and another bond oi
unity like the waters of the Mississippi. Ii
such a wider dominion, 10 such greater and
enduring Union, finally, by peaceful growth
with cordial, unconstrained assent for common
interests, soon or late, these now separate peo
Piles. discordant or divided by political lines bu
kindred by every tie that ever has united mar
| or founded states, will one day merge thei,
majestic empires. It behooves the Statesman a
ship Of and coming generations or
either side of the dividing line to perceive thai
this continental and imperial policy is not ,
visionary hope, but rather, in the order O.
nature, to which the laws that we in our brie
! time enact had best conform and give i
! furtherance. Subject TO this policy, therefore
even when repeling aggression, avowing fhi
common duty and ultimate destiny even wher
responding to an offensive non-intercourse polio,
by offensive non-intercourse acts which at any
moment we are moro anxious to withdraw from
than now willing to enter upon submit t.
your committee with the greatest Difference
/, the following bill:"
[The bill which the Secretary submits is pre-
- - u